Podcasts Technology Agtech - So What? Regen Ag Series #1: Mark Wootton on carbon-neutral farming at Jigsaw Farms

Regen Ag Series #1: Mark Wootton on carbon-neutral farming at Jigsaw Farms

Published: July 15, 2020, 8:03 p.m.

Mark Wootton is well-known in the Australian agriculture industry as a pioneer in carbon-neutral farming. In 2011, Jigsaw Farms, his family property in south-west Victoria, achieved carbon neutrality - undergoing a process he openly admits was at the time, both “arduous and not necessarily commercially rewarding”.

Yet, Mark and his wife Eve Kantor operate a very successful mixed grazing farm where they run 20,000 sheep for fine wool and prime lamb as well as 500 cows. The farm also incorporates a 600 hectare hardwood timber plantation and indigenous plantings for biodiversity.

Mark was instrumental in the creation of the Climate Institute - a not-for-profit focused on climate science and policy in Australia. He remains a champion of finding new ways to lower methane emissions on farms - through both feed efficiencies and new technologies.

His latest venture is a “Super Ewe” - where he’s using genetics to create a dual purpose sheep through focusing on muscle and fat in the selection process.

In this episode Mark Wootton shares his insights on:

  • Using Sheep Freeze Brand (liquid nitrogen) as an alternative to mulesing.
  • Turning sustainable agriculture practices into a driver for productivity and profits.
  • The importance of flexibility in farming operations.
  • Finding the right times to make big decisions for your business.

Want to know more? Check out our blog and additional resources from the episode on our website.